Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-01-06

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jan 6
● Final45 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,646 head
874 vs last sale 2,520 4,000 vs year ago 5,646 · 70.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
55 head
429 vs last sale 484 85 vs year ago 140 · 60.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
17 head
210 vs last sale 227 64 vs year ago 81 · 79.0%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(12-16-21): Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 650 lbs sold mostly 8.00-12.00 higher. Steers over 650 lbs sold generally steady. Heifers under 550 lbs sold mostly 10.00 higher. Heifer over 550 lbs sold steady to firm. Quality this week was mixed from average to very attractive. Buyers showed very good demand for load lots today. Small packages of calves sold with light demand. The best demand this week was for cattle that could be developed into yearlings. Demand for yearling type cattle was good to very good, while demand for heavy or very light weight cattle was mostly moderate. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active with a large buyer pool actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows and bulls were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on very light offerings.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $192.87/cwt on 706 head.
Average price
$192.87
706 head · 554 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,069
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$358
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$55.13/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.78
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1561195.131,094611
Medium and Large 1-2511181.4792884
Medium 1523179.939414thin
Medium and Large 2526140.007367thin
One grade step is worth $55.13/cwt here — about $358 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale706 hd
192.87
MT average2 barns · 740 hd
192.09
+0.78
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage1,82383.711,52613
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,55064.501,0001thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,38264.058853thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,16456.2965528

Every lot, as filed

45 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
SteersMedium and Large 1-2491190.27/cwt190.00–192.009347
SteersMedium and Large 1695166.00/cwt166.00–166.001,15425
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2477155.94/cwt146.00–165.5074438
HeifersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed513175.76/cwt175.00–177.0090244
HeifersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed562171.84/cwt168.00–173.0096627
SteersMedium and Large 1521203.22/cwt195.00–209.501,059208
SteersMedium and Large 1426215.18/cwt211.00–219.0091791
SteersMedium and Large 2526140.00/cwt140.00–140.007367
SteersMedium and Large 1754159.91/cwt158.50–160.001,20634
SteersMedium and Large 1619177.70/cwt169.50–187.001,10055
SteersMedium and Large 1-2632162.55/cwt161.00–164.001,02725
SteersMedium and Large 1-2591176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,0406
SteersMedium and Large 1-2336196.47/cwt191.00–208.0066023
SteersMedium 1523179.93/cwt175.00–185.009414
SteersMedium and Large 1883153.24/cwt147.00–154.501,35346
SteersMedium and Large 1470212.92/cwt199.00–220.001,00190
HeifersMedium and Large 1577156.71/cwt153.00–160.0090423
HeifersMedium and Large 1758149.70/cwt145.50–150.501,13564
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2390174.00/cwt174.00–174.006793
HeifersMedium and Large 1655153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,00244
HeifersMedium 1419176.00/cwt176.00–176.007378
HeifersMedium and Large 1877148.50/cwt148.50–148.501,30219
SteersMedium and Large 1-2541185.77/cwt185.00–187.001,00523
HeifersMedium 1383172.00/cwt172.00–172.0065911
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2435166.50/cwt166.50–166.5072432
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2545160.00/cwt160.00–160.0087212
SteersMedium and Large 1572190.31/cwt187.00–198.001,08962
HeifersMedium and Large 1391180.50/cwt180.50–180.5070617
HeifersMedium and Large 1428183.71/cwt174.00–189.0078617
HeifersMedium and Large 1626150.51/cwt148.00–152.0094216
HeifersMedium and Large 1476171.46/cwt170.00–174.0081671
HeifersMedium and Large 1540167.35/cwt165.00–170.00904135
HeifersMedium and Large 2501125.00/cwt125.00–125.0062611
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,16168.82/cwt60.00–73.007999
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,03586.00/cwt86.00–86.008901
BullsReturn to Feed1,74784.00/cwt84.00–84.001,4677
BullsReturn to Feed1,36579.00/cwt79.00–79.001,0781
Bulls2,02184.25/cwt84.00–85.001,7035
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,32567.50/cwt67.50–67.508941
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,10561.00/cwt61.00–61.006742
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed96550.00/cwt50.00–50.004831
CowsLean 85-90%1,20757.43/cwt55.00–62.0069319
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41062.33/cwt61.00–63.508792
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,55064.50/cwt64.50–64.501,0001
CowsLean 85-90%1,07952.14/cwt51.00–54.005636

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.